Battery-operated decorative candle light



p 5, 1957 H. F. HEYDEN 3,340,391

BATTERY-OPERATED DECORATIVE CANDLE LIGHT Filed Dec. 10, 1965 United States Patent 3,340,391 BATTERY-OPERATE}? DECORATIVE CANDLE GHT Herbert F. Heyden, 166-25 Powells Cove Blvd., Beechhurst, N.Y. 11357 Filed Dec. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 512,958 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-10.64)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable battery-powered decorative candle structure. A cylindrical shell is provided with an internal conductive casing for receiving batteries in end-to-end relation. An upper housing includes a socket for making separate conductive contact with both poles of the batteries and receives a bulb having a coaxial tip and an outer conducting base flange. When the bulb is inserted into the socket, the candle is lit by rotating the bulb to bring its flange into contact with a strip element of the socket; further rotation of the bulb breaks the flange-strip contact and extinguishes the candle.

This invention relates to decorative lighting devices, and more particularly to a battery-operated, self-contained lighting device which simulates a candle.

In homes, schools, and a multitude of other environments, there exists a need to enhance the attractiveness of lighting equipment and fixtures. Certainly the modern trend is away from the drab, plain, and purely functional lighting of the past. Todays style-conscious people have come to insist on decorative as well as practical qualities in their lighting. It has also been established that an appropriate blend of the functional and the beautiful can create lighted environments which are more conducive to work, entertainment, etc.

One particular area which has received the attention of designers is that of simulating older, often obsolete lighting techniques with modern electromechanical fixtures. Combining these older quaint and attractive visual features with the newer operating characteristics has proven popular on many levels. In this regard, battery-operated devices have been quite successful commercially. Capable of being made portable with no distracting wires, as well as highly attractive, such equipment is widely accepted and desired. For example, one style that could be very attractive and useful would be a battery-operated light in the shape and style of a candle.

There are, in the prior art, a number of such candles, but none have attained widespread popularity. This may be due to a failure to properly combine all the best mechanical and electrical operating features currently available, with the appropriate aesthetic values. For instance, the activating on-ofl switches are often not placed in a sufficiently unobtrusive location on the candle. This tends to detract from the aesthetic quality of the candle. Then too, there is the problem of not making full use of new electrical developments which allow for complete concealment of all connections, switches, etc.

It is therefore an object of this invention to furnish an improved decorative candle-lamp to obviate one or more of the aforesaid difliculties.

It is another object of this invention to provide a decorative lamp with convenient and yet concealed means for extinguishing said lamp.

In one particular embodiment of this invention, there is provided a candle-shaped, battery-powered lamp utilizing a decorative coaxial bulb. The lamp has a hollow shaft section set into a decorative base. The hollow shaft section includes a conductive battery casing with provision for housing one or more batteries therein. This conductive casing projects beyond the top of the shaft section, this projection being in the form of a threaded extension. A lower spring element is disposed at the bottom of the casing and provides mechanical bias to urge the batteries upward into conductors to be described further below.

An upper, generally comically-shaped housing is mounted upon the shaft section of the candle and includes a concealed socket for receiving the tip of a coaxial bulb which can be inserted therein. The socket has inner conducting means including an axial conductor disposed to electrically communicate between the tip of the coaxial bulb and the upper electrode of the battery or batteries housed in the battery casing. The socket further includes an outer conducting element insulated from the sockets inner conductor which electrically couples an outer peripheral contact on a base flange of the coaxial bulb to the conductive battery casing in the hollow shaft section of the candle. This coupling is achieved by the contact made between the projecting threaded extension of the lower battery casing and a section of the insulated conducting element situated in a correspondingly threaded area in the lower part of the upper conical housing.

The coaxial bulb, simulating the shape of a candle flame, includes a base flange with an outer contact thereon; below this flange is an insulating segment and projecting downward from the insulating segment is the inner coaxial conducting tip which fits into the socket in the upper housing and which adapts the bulb for rotation in the socket. In its assembled form, the upper housing can be screw-connected to the hollow shaft section by means of the threaded receptacle in the housing and the projecting threaded extension from the lower battery casing.

Control over the electrical circuit adapted to light or extinguish the bulb is achieved by means of simple rotational motion of the bulb in its socket. In the on position, the bulb has been rotated so that the outer peripheral contact on the conducting flange of the bulb is in direct contiguity with the outer conducting element of the socket in the upper housing. This element in turn electrically communicates with the projecting threaded extension of the shaft battery casing which, in the assembled form of the candle is threaded upwardly into the lower section of the upper housing.

The conducting spring element which is situated at the base of the battery casing provides both mechanical spring bias to the batteries and an electrical connection to the lower electrode of the batteries included in the casing. That is, the spring element serves to continue an electrical circuit from the conductive battery casing to the lower electrode of the battery which rests upon the spring element. The upper electrode of the battery in the casing is, when the upper housing and the shaft section are screw-connected as referred to above, in contact with the axial conductor of the socket in the upper housing. Completion of the electrical circuit to light the bulb is furnished by the extension of the axial conductor into the socket, with electrical contact being made therein with the inner contact of the insulated socket. The insertion of the coaxial tip of the bulb in the socket provides completion of the electrical circuit including the batteries and the bulb, and the bulb is thereby lit. The bulb is extinguished (and subsequently controlled) by simple rotational motion, by which contact between the outer peripheral contact of the base flange of the bulb and the outer conducting element of the socket is broken.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an overall representation of a candle in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded sectionalized view of the candle showing the bulb, upper conical housing, and lower shaft section of the candle;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the candle, shown with the separate elements placed together in operative relation;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper part of the conical housing and the bulb as shown in FIG. 3, with the bulb rotated to the ofl position;

FIG. 5 is the sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3 and illustrating the on position of the bulb with its flange in contact with a conducting side element; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and showing the bulb rotated to the o position with the flange of the bulb not in contact with the conducting side element.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to through 3 thereof, there is illustrated a decorative candle 10 comprising as its main components a decorative base 11, an elongated candle body 12 comprising a cylindrical shaft 13 set into the baseand a generally comically-shaped bulb housing 14, and a bulb 15 in the general decorative shape of a candle flame. The shaft 13 includes an internal conductive battery casing 16 with a threaded section 17 which projects upwardly beyond the top of the shaft 13. The hollow portion of the shaft space for batteries, with series-aiding penlight-size batteries 19 and 20 being shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 merely by way of example. Spring element 21 mechanically urges the batteries 19 and 20 in an upward direction and also electrically couples the lower electrode of battery 20 to the conductive battery casing 16.

The generally comically-shaped housing 14 includes a socket 23 of insulating material with an inner conducting receptacle 22 adapted to receive the tip of a coaxial bulb. This inner conducting receptacle is communicated electrically downward into the lower shaft 13 by means of axial conductor 24. Insulated from the internal receptacle and the axial conductor is outer side conducting strip 25 which extends down the side of the upper housing 14 and into a female threaded section 26 adapted to receive the male threaded projection 17. In the assembled form of the candle as shown in FIG. 3, it is seen that the conducting side strip 25 is in electrical contact with the projecting threaded extension 17 which is disposed in screwthreaded relation .to the female threaded portion 26 of the upper housing 14. Suitable means such as lock washer 18 allows for the screw connection of upper housing 14 on to the threaded projection 17 of the battery casing 16 in the shaft 13 of the candle.

The coaxial bulb 15 includes an upper shaped section giving the simulated appearance of a candle flame. At the base of the bulb is an outer contacting flange 27 below which is located an insulating body 28; projecting from the insulating body 28 of the bulb 15 is the inner coaxial tip 29 adapted to be inserted into the cavity 22 of the socket 23 in the housing 14.

Reference may now be had to FIG. 3 which shows the assembled candle with the bulb 15 rotated in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions so as to be in its lit mode. Under these conditions, the completed electrical circuit which is effective to light the bulb 15 can be traced from the outer contacting flange 27 on to the strip 25 which is disposed alongside of the housing 14 lengthwise of the socket 23. The strip 25 has a lower hooked end which, when the candle is assembled as shown in FIG. 3, contacts the threaded conducting projection 17 of the shafts conductive battery casing 16. Further electrical continuity is provided from the battery casing 16 to the FIGS. 1

13 includes sufiicient series-connected batteries 19 and 20 by means of the conducting spring 21. The upper electrode of battery 19 is directly contacted by axial conductor 24 which electrically communicates through a. body of insulating material in socket 23 to the contacting receptacle 22 (see FIG. 2) of the socket. The coaxial tip 29 of the bulb 15 is shown inserted into the socket receptacle 22 and this completes the circuit for lighting the bulb.

A sectional view of the candle in its on condition taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 is illustrated in FIG. 5. It can there be observed that the flange 27 is in direct contact with conducting strip 25. The coaxial tip 29 of the bulb 15 is seen, when viewed from below, to be insulated from the flange 27 by the body 28 of insulating material.

With reference to FIG. 4, a fragmentary view of the upper housing 14 of the candle is shown to illustrate the bulb 15 rotated to its off position. That is, the contacting flange 27 is no longer in contact with the strip 25. Such an extinguished mode of operation of the candle is achieved merely by rotating the bulb 15 in the receptacle 22 of the socket 23. This type of motion is easily achieved and is adapted to bring the flange 27 into and out of contact with the conducting strip 25 when it is desired either to light or to extinguish the bulb 15.

The sectional view of FIG. 6 taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 4 shows the operative elemennts of the bulb 15 and the socket 23 as they appear from below when the bulb 15 is extinguished. That is, it can be seen that by rotation of the bulb 15 in the socket 22, the flange ,27 is no longer in contact with the conducting strip 25. This serves to break the electrical circuit which had previously existed to light the bulb 15. The illustrative arrows on FIGS. 5 and 6 are merely to indicate that simple rotational motion in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions is capable of transferring the candle from the lit to the unlit conditions.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are illustrative of the application of the prin ciples of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A decorative candle lamp comprising in combination atleast one battery with a first and a second electrode, a rotatable coaxial bulb including a coaxial tip, conducting means for contacting said first electrode of said battery, flange means at the base of said bulb for making selective contact with said conducting means upon the rotation of said bulb, and socket means for receiving said tip and for coupling said tip to said second electrode of said battery, wherein said conducting means includes a strip element adapted to contact said flange means, a spring contacting said first electrode of said battery, a cylindrical shell adjacent to said spring element for enclosing said battery, and a conducting projection extending from said cylindrical shell and in contact with said strip element.

2. A decorative candle lamp comprising in combination at least one battery with -a first and a second electrode, a rotatable coaxial bulb including a coaxial tip, conducting means .for contacting said first electrode of said battery, flange means at the base of said bulb'for making selective contact with said conducting means upon the rotation of said bulb, and socket means for receiving said tip and for coupling said tip to said second electrode of said battery, wherein said conducting means includes a strip element adapted to contact said flange means, a spring contacting said first electrode of said battery, a cylindrical shell adjacent to said spring element for enclosing said battery, and a conducting projection extending from said cylindrical shell and incontact with said strip element, including in addition a shaft surrounding said cylindrical shell, and a housing for enclosing said strip element and said socket means, and

5 further including a decorative base for supporting said shaft.

3. A decorative candle lamp comprising in combination at least one battery with a first and a second electrode, a rotatable coaxial bulb including a coaxial tip, conducting means for contacting said first electrode of said battery, flange means at the base of said bulb for making selective contact with said conducting means upon the rotation of said bulb, and socket means for receiving said tip and for coupling said tip to said second electrode of said battery, wherein said conducting means includes a strip element adapted to contact said flange means, a spring contacting said first electrode of said battery, a cylindrical shell adjacent to said spring element for enclosing said battery, and a conducting projection extending from said cylindrical shell and in contact with said strip element, wherein said bulb is lighted in response to its being rotated to a first position whereby said flange means is contiguous to said strip element,

and wherein said bulb is extinguished in response to retation to a second position whereby the contact between said flange means and said strip element is broken.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,474,451 11/1923 Stuckelberger 240-1068 2,049,762 8/1936 Darling et a1 24010.64 2,235,360 3/1941 Davis 31572 2,278,816 4/ 1942 Zabel 31572 2,704,322 3/1955 Strayline 240-1064 2,712,059 6/1955 Allyn 240 l0 2,830,173 4/1958 Lambert 24010.66 3,194,955 7/1965 Koch 24010.64 3,238,408 3/ 1966 Kayatt 313185 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. R. M. SHEER, Examiner. 

1. A DECORATIVE CANDLE LAMP COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AT LEAST ONE BATTERY WITH A FIRST AND A SECOND ELECTRODE, A ROTATABLE COAXIAL BULB INCLUDING A COAXIAL TIP, CONDUCTING MEANS FOR CONTACTING SAID FIRST ELECTRODE OF SAID BATTERY, FLANGE MEANS AT THE BASE OF SAID BULB FOR MAKING SELECTIVE CONTACT WITH SAID CONDUCTING MEANS UPON THE ROTATION OF SAID BULB, AND SOCKET MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID TIP AND FOR COUPLING SAID TIP TO SAID SECOND ELECTRODE OF SAID BATTERY, WHEREIN SAID CONDUCTING MEANS INCLUDES A STRIP ELEMENT ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID FLANGE MEANS, A SPRING CONTACTING SAID FIRST ELECTRODE OF SAID BATTERY, A CYLINDRICAL SHELL ADJACENT TO SAID SPRING ELEMENT FOR ENCLOSING SAID BATTERY, AND A CONDUCTING PROJECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID CYLINDRICAL SHELL AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID STRIP ELEMENT. 